jchapman3
Contributor
Greetings. This is my first time to the dive board, although my dive buddy has talked about it since we started our confined water together.
I got the dive itch in 2000 when I went on a PADI resort dive off the big Island of Hawaii. Green Turtles, moray's, an octopus that VANISHED in a cloud of black ink, and 3 black tip sharks sleeping on the bottom... not bad for my first 2 dives...
The itch stayed dormant until I had a chance to go to Grand Cayman this year with some friends. So I found a dive shop and got myself certified...I was going to do it right this time.
When I got to GC, I found 2 dive shops associated with the resort; the one that was recommended to me (and the same brand name as the shop in Hawaii) was booked solid for the first 3 days I was there; and suggested I try the other shop. When I got there, I explained that not only was I brand new C-Card holder... my open water dive was in a rock quary in Texas with vis about 3 feet ...my C-Card hadn't seen blue water yet. "No problem...we'll take care of you".
Day 1.
My very first blue water dive was off a dive boat on a 100' wall dive with 8 other souls. (for those of you gasping at THIS point... save it...it gets better.) I told the dive master that we'd need to do a BC since all my previous dives were fresh water. He had me get in last. By the time we got my weight squared away, most of the other divers were at or near depth. I was rocked by the surface trying to descend and the free descent over the 5000' foot drop got my heart rate WAY up and panic started to set in. About then, the voice of my dive instructor came in on the PA in my head "get it under control or abort. Now." I got my breathing under control...kept my dive computer firmly in my field of view and started to decend...I found 100' and joined the tail end of the group; However, i'd consumed a lot of my air. My dive "buddy" was well infront of me and never looked back. Before the dive, the dive master (doubling as boat captain) gave instructions for the 1/2 tank sign and said we were to let him know when we hit that point so he could monitor our consumption. At 1/2 a tank, I was not able to get his attention (or anyone elses)...I watched my air. At 1200 lbs I did get his attention and let him know where I was and that I would start my deco...thank GOD for my dive computer...it told me everything I needed to do...and where...and for how long. I deco'd alone but within site of the group. I broke the surface with 800 lbs in my tank.
The second dive for the day was at 54'. A nice reef dive through some cool breaks and tubes cut in the coral. I had decided before this dive that if it didn't go better, I was done for this trip. The second dive was easy...no panic on the decent, good air control; I had fun...still the first one on the surface though.
Day 2.
Another 100' wall dive. We're drifting' this time; after a brief explaination on the procedure, we descent together. I gracefully descended over the 5000' shelf, watching for 100' again; with no panic. I had an easy descent (and much to my instructor's pleasure when he reads this...hovering at my desired depth was a sinch). We drifted along the wall; better air control, and I made an effort to stay closer to the dive master since my assigned "buddy" was on his own trip. At 1200 lbs, I get the dive masters attention, signal that I will follow the group at my deco depth...i'm the first one on the surface again...my dive computer kept me at depth, yelled at me when I went above or below my deco depth...good thing I had it...it's the only buddy/advice I had; and interestingly, it was a the fortune of a raffle ticket an Octoberfest in the Dive shop parking lot 2 weeks before my trip that allowed me to have it.
The second dive was another 50' reef dive...I was in heaven...lots to see...lots to do. I concentrated on my air this dive (the first dive I was able to really concentrate on "skills" vs "keeping up". Out of 10 divers, I'm the 6th one on the surface with 800 lbs left.
Now...for those of you still reading...everyone that hears this story tells me "you should tell someone" and "you're really lucky". I realized these things after my 2nd day/4th dive, and I retreated to the tourist activiteis on the island and contemplated the universe in an endless supply of rum punch.
I think I was a little lucky. Fortunately for me, I bought a dive computer (out of a bizzare set of circumstances) 2 weeks before my GC trip, and took it to my local rock quary to familiarize myself with it before the trip. If I didn't have that computer, I can guarantee this story would have had a different ending. I also had my instructors voice in my head repeating the drills we went through. I wasn't "comfortable" with my first blue water dive being at 100', but BOTH dive masters on the boat assured me I'd be OK and they'd "watch" me. The shop also told me I could leave my gear with them and they'd wash it and have it ready for the next day. Oddly... my regulator tasted like salt on day 2...maybe that's normal, but I'd assume a fresh water bath after the dive would have taken care of that; maybe the boats don't wash gear "daily".
I feel I have to take some responsibility for this story, which is why I decided not to continue diving and wait until I got back home and worked up my experience. In hindsite, I now see going to Grand Cayman for my first dive was probably about as smart as learning to fly in a 747. I should have done a better job finding a more "entry level friendly" dive shop...However, even as I write this, I'm not sure how I'd do that... I'm sure they'd all assure me; tourism is how they make their living...turning tourist away doesn't pay the bils...ethics or not. We (the begginners) have no choice but to trust the system and the certifications of those above us...how do you "know"?
Should I have aborted at the dock when discovered my first dive was 100'? Should I have rocked the boat about the non-buddy buddy they assigned me that was part of a larger group, and stayed on the boat for the 2nd dive?
Here's what I HAVE learned... I'm not going on another dive unless I _KNOW_ my dive buddy, or have had a chance to meet them first. I now believe that a disinterested dive buddy is the same same as a disfunctional regulator...I won't dive without either unless they've been equally tested. Next, I'm going to KNOW more about where I'm diving (somehow) before I go...and I won't dive with any shop that I don't know SOMEONE that has been diving with them; being new and short on contacts, this is easier said than done, and I don't want to be afraid of going in the water...but somewhere there has to be a way to "know". Maybe it's less of an issue if you're with someone you trust?
I did get some great pictures; fortunately none of them are of the bottom at 5000', nor are any from the inside of a decompression chamber.
Was my trip THAT bad?
I got the dive itch in 2000 when I went on a PADI resort dive off the big Island of Hawaii. Green Turtles, moray's, an octopus that VANISHED in a cloud of black ink, and 3 black tip sharks sleeping on the bottom... not bad for my first 2 dives...
The itch stayed dormant until I had a chance to go to Grand Cayman this year with some friends. So I found a dive shop and got myself certified...I was going to do it right this time.
When I got to GC, I found 2 dive shops associated with the resort; the one that was recommended to me (and the same brand name as the shop in Hawaii) was booked solid for the first 3 days I was there; and suggested I try the other shop. When I got there, I explained that not only was I brand new C-Card holder... my open water dive was in a rock quary in Texas with vis about 3 feet ...my C-Card hadn't seen blue water yet. "No problem...we'll take care of you".
Day 1.
My very first blue water dive was off a dive boat on a 100' wall dive with 8 other souls. (for those of you gasping at THIS point... save it...it gets better.) I told the dive master that we'd need to do a BC since all my previous dives were fresh water. He had me get in last. By the time we got my weight squared away, most of the other divers were at or near depth. I was rocked by the surface trying to descend and the free descent over the 5000' foot drop got my heart rate WAY up and panic started to set in. About then, the voice of my dive instructor came in on the PA in my head "get it under control or abort. Now." I got my breathing under control...kept my dive computer firmly in my field of view and started to decend...I found 100' and joined the tail end of the group; However, i'd consumed a lot of my air. My dive "buddy" was well infront of me and never looked back. Before the dive, the dive master (doubling as boat captain) gave instructions for the 1/2 tank sign and said we were to let him know when we hit that point so he could monitor our consumption. At 1/2 a tank, I was not able to get his attention (or anyone elses)...I watched my air. At 1200 lbs I did get his attention and let him know where I was and that I would start my deco...thank GOD for my dive computer...it told me everything I needed to do...and where...and for how long. I deco'd alone but within site of the group. I broke the surface with 800 lbs in my tank.
The second dive for the day was at 54'. A nice reef dive through some cool breaks and tubes cut in the coral. I had decided before this dive that if it didn't go better, I was done for this trip. The second dive was easy...no panic on the decent, good air control; I had fun...still the first one on the surface though.
Day 2.
Another 100' wall dive. We're drifting' this time; after a brief explaination on the procedure, we descent together. I gracefully descended over the 5000' shelf, watching for 100' again; with no panic. I had an easy descent (and much to my instructor's pleasure when he reads this...hovering at my desired depth was a sinch). We drifted along the wall; better air control, and I made an effort to stay closer to the dive master since my assigned "buddy" was on his own trip. At 1200 lbs, I get the dive masters attention, signal that I will follow the group at my deco depth...i'm the first one on the surface again...my dive computer kept me at depth, yelled at me when I went above or below my deco depth...good thing I had it...it's the only buddy/advice I had; and interestingly, it was a the fortune of a raffle ticket an Octoberfest in the Dive shop parking lot 2 weeks before my trip that allowed me to have it.
The second dive was another 50' reef dive...I was in heaven...lots to see...lots to do. I concentrated on my air this dive (the first dive I was able to really concentrate on "skills" vs "keeping up". Out of 10 divers, I'm the 6th one on the surface with 800 lbs left.
Now...for those of you still reading...everyone that hears this story tells me "you should tell someone" and "you're really lucky". I realized these things after my 2nd day/4th dive, and I retreated to the tourist activiteis on the island and contemplated the universe in an endless supply of rum punch.
I think I was a little lucky. Fortunately for me, I bought a dive computer (out of a bizzare set of circumstances) 2 weeks before my GC trip, and took it to my local rock quary to familiarize myself with it before the trip. If I didn't have that computer, I can guarantee this story would have had a different ending. I also had my instructors voice in my head repeating the drills we went through. I wasn't "comfortable" with my first blue water dive being at 100', but BOTH dive masters on the boat assured me I'd be OK and they'd "watch" me. The shop also told me I could leave my gear with them and they'd wash it and have it ready for the next day. Oddly... my regulator tasted like salt on day 2...maybe that's normal, but I'd assume a fresh water bath after the dive would have taken care of that; maybe the boats don't wash gear "daily".
I feel I have to take some responsibility for this story, which is why I decided not to continue diving and wait until I got back home and worked up my experience. In hindsite, I now see going to Grand Cayman for my first dive was probably about as smart as learning to fly in a 747. I should have done a better job finding a more "entry level friendly" dive shop...However, even as I write this, I'm not sure how I'd do that... I'm sure they'd all assure me; tourism is how they make their living...turning tourist away doesn't pay the bils...ethics or not. We (the begginners) have no choice but to trust the system and the certifications of those above us...how do you "know"?
Should I have aborted at the dock when discovered my first dive was 100'? Should I have rocked the boat about the non-buddy buddy they assigned me that was part of a larger group, and stayed on the boat for the 2nd dive?
Here's what I HAVE learned... I'm not going on another dive unless I _KNOW_ my dive buddy, or have had a chance to meet them first. I now believe that a disinterested dive buddy is the same same as a disfunctional regulator...I won't dive without either unless they've been equally tested. Next, I'm going to KNOW more about where I'm diving (somehow) before I go...and I won't dive with any shop that I don't know SOMEONE that has been diving with them; being new and short on contacts, this is easier said than done, and I don't want to be afraid of going in the water...but somewhere there has to be a way to "know". Maybe it's less of an issue if you're with someone you trust?
I did get some great pictures; fortunately none of them are of the bottom at 5000', nor are any from the inside of a decompression chamber.
Was my trip THAT bad?